Introduction to Leatherworking w/ Shauna

Thanks for your interest in CRFT130: Intro to Leatherworking!

This 2-hour beginner class will introduce you to the foundations of leatherworking tools and techniques through making a DIY leather keychain, bracelet or bookmark from start to finish. We'll cover everything from purchasing and selecting leather, patterning, embossing, forming, stitching, finishing leather, and more.

At the end of the class, makers will take home their own custom leather item!

At the end of the course makers will have firm knowledge on the following:

• Selecting and purchasing the right leathers and hardware for your project
• Patterning and cutting leather
• Forming and embossing leather
• Attachment methods, including stitching, rivets, glues
• Punchin' holes, setting rivets
• Finishing edges and sealing leather

Shauna Hughes is the owner of Harvest & Hide (@harvestandhideco), specializing in custom leather goods and leather jewelry. In addition to leather, she brings over 22 years of sewing experience, and has a deep passion for sustainability and upcycling—transforming thrifted finds, closet staples, and fabric scraps into beautiful, functional pieces that avoid the landfill.

With a strong community-focused mindset, Shauna enjoys helping people learn tangible skills, such as sewing and leatherworking, to build confidence in their ability to be self-sustaining. Outside the classroom, she runs a small homestead focused on regenerative agriculture and is in the process of establishing an in-house tannery to produce ethically sourced leather from start to finish.